WEBVTT >> LET'S BEGIN OUR TEAM COVERAGEWITH SAMINA.SAMINA: NORTH CAROLINA SENATORRICHARD BURR SPOKE CANDIDLYTODAY, IN A WIDE-RANGINGINTERVIEW, HERE IN ARCHDALE.ON THE FIRING OF FORMER FBIDIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, THE SENATEINTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE'S ONGOINGRUSSIA INVESTIGATION, AND, ONPRESIDENT'S TRUMP'S TWITTERSTORMEARLIER TODAY.>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT'S TWEETTHIS MORNING WAS INAPPROPRIATE,BUT TO SAY ANY MORE ON IT, ITWOULD BE A MISTAKE.SENATOR BURR RESPONDING TOQUESTIONS ABOUT PRESIDENTTRUMP'S TWEET THIS MORNING, TAUNTING COMEY WITH POSSIBLETAPES OF THEIR PRIVATECONVERSATIONS, A SECOND TWEET THREATENING TEND PRESS BRIEFINGS ALTOGETHER.>> IF I SPENT THE DAY CONSUMEDWITH THE PRESIDENT'S TWEETS IWOULDN'T GET ANYTHING ELSE DONE.>> THE TOP REPUBLICAN ON THESENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE,BURR WEIGHED IN ON THE WEEK'SEVENTS.AT AN EVENT FOR STUDENTS ATSCHOOL BUS MANUFACTURING PLANT.BURR SAYING HE DIDN'T THINK THEPRESIDENT FIRED COMEY OVER THEFBI INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLETIES BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THETRUMP CAMPAIGN.>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT FIREDHIM BECAUSE HE HAD LOST TRUST INHIS LEADERSHIP OF THE BUREAU.>> TO DATE, THERE'S BEEN NOEVIDENCE OF COLLUSION.SO, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANEED FOR THE PRESIDENT OR FORTHE WHITE HOUSE TO MAKE ADECISION.SO THAT LESSENS MY BELIEF THATIT WAS TO IMPEDE ANINVESTIGATION.>> NEVERTHELESS, BURR SAYS THECOMMITTEE PLANS TO RAMP UP ITSINVESTIGATION, ITH NO END DATEIN SIGHT.THAT IT'S ALREADY INTERVIEWEDSOME THIRTY PEOPLE.AND, THAT APPOINTING A SPECIALPROSECUTOR, WOULD ONLY SLOWTHINGS DOWN.>> THERE WOULD BE NOINVESTIGATIVE TEAM INDEPENDENTLYTHAT YOU COULD SET UP THAT WOULDHAVE THE ACCESS TO THE TYPE OFINFORMATION WE'VE HAD ACCESS TOTHIS IS OUR JOB ON THECOMMITTEE.>> THE COMMITTEE HAS INVITEDCOMEY TO ADDRESS THE PANEL NEXTTUESDAY, TO DISCUSS HISDEPARTURE.COMEY TODAY DECLINING TO APPEAR.REPORTING IN ARCHDALE, I'M

North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr spoke with reporters in Archdale on Friday about Tuesday's firing of FBI Director James Comey, the Senate Intelligence Committee's ongoing Russia investigation, and President Donald Trump's morning outburst on Twitter.

"I think the president's tweet this morning was inappropriate, but to say more on it, it would be a mistake," Burr said.

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President Trump taunted Comey on Twitter Friday morning about possible "tapes" of their conversations. In a second tweet, the president threatened to end press briefings.

Sen. Burr also reiterated his displeasure with Trump's comments to NBC News anchor Lester Holt Thursday in which the commander-in-chief called Comey a "showboat."

Burr met with reporters prior to a scheduled event for high school students at Thomas Built Buses, a local bus manufacturing company in Archdale. He called Comey "one of the most straightforward public servants" he has ever worked with on Capitol Hill.

"He's been more forthcoming with me than any FBI Director in the 23 years I've been there, in the 17 years I've been on the Intelligence Committee," Burr said.

Sen. Burr, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, also weighed in on Comey's firing, and on the F.B.I's investigation into possible ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. Burr said he believes the president fired Comey because "he had lost trust in his leadership of the bureau." Burr said so far in the investigation, there's been no evidence of collusion, lessening his belief that Comey's firing was intended to impede the ongoing Russia investigation.

Burr also said his committee plans to ramp up its investigation, having already interviewed some 30 people. He said appointing a special prosecutor at this stage in the inquiry would only slow things down.

"The unprecedented access that my committee and my staff has had, there would be no investigative team independently that you could set up that would have the access to the type of information we've had access to," Burr said. "This is our job on the committee."